Supporting device and method of forming the same



T. SCHMITT May 17, 1932.

SUPPORTING DEVICE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME Filed June 13, 1929 Patented May 17, 1 932 UNITED STATES THEODORE SCHMITT, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO SUPPORTING DEVICE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME Application filed June 13, 1929. Serial No; 370,524.

This invention is concerned with a device. particularly adapted for supporting elements used in concrete construction, which elements are required to be disposed a comparatively J short distance above an adjacent surface, and

with a method of making such devices.

In building floors, beams, etc., largely of concrete, some reinforcement for the concrete is necessary, and the most commonly known reinforcement is provided by spaced steel bars which should be maintained in proper-relation to each other to give the desired strength to the concrete. The concrete is filled in around the bars, being supported in suitable false-work until it hardens.

Where long horizontal stretches of concrete are used, as in beams and joists for example, the reinforcing bars act as'the primary tension elements to lend strength to the concrete structure and these are usually placed, for the most part, in the bottom portions of the joists or beams close to the-bottommost surface. It is highly essential that the bars be spaced uniform distances from each other,

as well as uniform distances above the falsework, so as to prevent weak points in the beam structure and to prevent the bars from being exposed when the false-work is removed. The concrete should, for example,

" afford a complete sheath for all portions of the bars so as to insure the bars against corrosion for long periods of time.

My invention contemplates forminglow lying chair supports for concrete reinforcing bars and the like, which chairs shall be extremely inexpensive, adequately strong, and unlikely to become tipped over while the bars are being put into place in thefalse .work. a

An object of the invention is to provide a chair which may be easily and economically made from a single piece of inexpensive metal stock. More specifically, an object is to provide a one-piece chair structure adapted to be made from suitable gauge Wire, where in sharp angles or bends are eliminated. Such sharp bends ordinarily render thedevices of this character previously used, dif- .ficult tomake and weak 'by reason of the strain on the metal due to-such sharp'bends.

A further object is to provide a one-piece chair adapted to be made from elongated metal stock, such as wire, wherein close loops are eliminated. I v

A further object is to provide a one-piece metal reinforcing bar chair which will have unusual vertical strength, considering the cross section of the stock used, and which will at the same time provide for spacing a plurality of bars accurately to thereby prevent weakening the concrete structure by nonuniform spacing. y

Another object is to simplify the construction of concrete reinforcing bar chairs While maintaining adequate strength,- to' thereby reduce the cost thereof to the builder. T

A further object is to providea novel and" effective method of producing anarticle, such as herein shown and described, which will decrease the cost of manufacture as compared to previous methods of making similar articles, without weakening the metal of the article. I

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description relating to the accompany-' ing drawings which illustrate the preferred form of deviceand method of makingit; The essential novel characteristics are sum marized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the chair showing the manner in which reinforcing bars are adapted to be supported thereon; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thechair shown in Fig; 1 and showing diagrammatically bars of diflerent cross sectional character from those shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the-chair; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken alongfthe line 4-4 in Fig. 2, and Figs. 5, 6, 7 and8 illustrate diagrammatically the more essential steps in producing the chair by the preferred method.

The character of reinforcing bars used in concrete construction varies greatly, but the most common forms are shown by way of i1- lustration in Figsxl and 2. In F ig- 1, the bars are shown as substantially round in cross section and in Fig. 2 rectangular. The bars usually have crosscorrugations or bumps to so. I

prevent longitudinal displacement in the concrete.

For horizontal building elements, such as joists and beams, there are usually truss bars, that is to say, bars which are bent upwardly near their ends and which lie alongside substantially straight bars, the intermediate portions of the truss bars and all portions of the straight bars preferably lying close to the bottom of the beam or joists,

slightly above the bottom surface thereof.

All portions of the reinforcing bars are, of course, buried in the concrete when poured.

There are a large number of devices on the market made out of heavy wire'or pressed metal for maintaining the desired relationship of the horizontal portions of the bars above the false-work. Builders, naturally, find the more inexpensive chairs or supports more desirable, providing these have sufficient strength, since after their original use in maintaining the bars in place, they are.

left in the concrete. Most of the sheet metal devices are either too Weak to stand the strains of use, or are too expensive, the latter being largely because of the necessary waste in forming them from sheet stock.

greater compactness, i. e reduction in storage and shipping cost. If the construction results in, sharp bends, then the metal of the chairs; is weakened and must, therefore, be

made heavier than would be ordinarily nec essary. Close loops present difiiculties in bending, that is, run upthe die and machine installation and operation cost in manufature With chairs made'in accordance with my invention, substantially all the difficulties are overcome; the manufacturing and material cost is cutdownbecause there are no close loops or sharp bends, and further,

the device is-entirely satisfactory in serving its function, that is to say, providing for properly spacing the bars, providing adequate strengthfor holding them in the desired relation to the falsework' and providing against the chairs being tipped over when the bars are placed thereon.

The chair shown in'the drawings is on the order of that shown in theprior, patent to James Reynolds et al., No. 1,615,651 ,issued Ianuary 25, 1927. This chair, however, was pe s e t -pmdiw by on of h num her and closeness of the bends in the wire or stock necessary to produce a single chalr.

The chairs in accordance with my invention are made up in units, providing for the support of two bars side by side, but obviously the provision for supporting a greater number'of bars on one chair, by extending the chair, may be made. There is a single substantially horizontal portion of the stock formed at its ends to provide a suitable rest, and there is a vertical arch formation substantially centrally of the substantially horizontal portion, whichprovides for spacing the bars the desired distance as well as lends vertical strength to the chair. The preferred chair is illustrated in Fig. 1. a V

The central arched bend or loop in the wire stock, which is upwardly, is indicated at l and the adjacent substantially horizontal or bar engaging portions, are indicated at 2. The bends adjacent the horizontal portions which start the chair rest formation are indicated at 3. Continuing from the bends 3 and outwardly from the horizontal portions 2, the wire extends upwardly into open loops, each comprising a substantially vertical stretch 4, a crown bend 5 and a diagonally extending downward stretch 6. The extreme ends of the wire, indicated at 7 and 7, extend horizontally as at 8, to lie substantially crosswise of the substantiallyhorizontal bar supporting portions 2, and at the. required distance below these portions 2 to hold the bars the desired distance from the falsework. One of the horizontal ends extends from its bend in one direction transverse to the portions 2, and the other end in the opposite'direction to minimize the tendency of the chair to rock sidewise. 7

V The manner in which the bars are supported is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 1, substantially round bars B are shown as lying on the horizontal portions 2. while spaced and maintained in position by the arch efiect at l and the upward loops at 4 6. liig, 2 shows, diagrammatically, a pair of bars at B which are substantially rectangular incross section, these making substantially line contacts with the horizontal portions, as shown. I

If desired,- the portions 2 may not be truly horizontal, but may dip downwardly adjacent thearch formation 1, as indicated in broken lines at 2 in Fig. 2, in order to more definitely space' bars which-are round or rounded in cross section. This isillustrated partly by;

way of showing what is meant. in the description and claims by generally horizontal: or;

substantially horizontal. The arch formation 1, exten upwardly from the normal plane of the. bar engaging portion, has substantially a crown top and sloplng sldes, which present a sufficient angle.- to effect a camming action upon any reinfore ing ar-pl sedtoo r e nt of th b r.

engaging portion, thus insuring the correct placing of the bar.

It will be seen that the central arch at 1 lends rigidity to the generally horizontal portion of the chair, including the portions 1 and 2, to keep the weight of the bars from centrally deflecting the supporting portion of the chair downwardly. Such deflection would of course allow the supported bars to sag and possibly touch the false-work, which is obviously highly undesirable. The bends at 3 and 5 may be on comparatively long radii, without diminution of their supporting effect or material increase in the size of the chair, likewise, the bend at 8. By reason of one stretch 6 inclining downwardly from the generally horizontal portions of the chair in one direction and the other stretch 6 inclining downwardly in the opposite direction, together with the oppositely bent ends 7, the chair is hard to tip over in either direction when once the portions 7 are placed on the false-work, shown diagrammatically at F.

In the preferred method of constructing the chair, starting with a blank W, indicating a suitable length of wire or rod, the wire may be held as in a die which will fairly closely embrace those portions of the wire which are to become the horizontal stretches 2. The arch effect 1 and the bends at 5' including the formation of the wire at its proper angle at 6, may be formed all by one movement, as of a press, the actual time of application of bending force being determined by the draw of the wire.

A second operation, as of tools acting oppositely and at right angles to the previously acting members, will result in turning in the ends 7 from their previous positions at 7 a so that they lie substantially parallel to the portions 2 and substantially in mutual alignment. Fig. 7 illustrates the blank at the stage of formation above described, when viewed at right angles to Fig. 6, as in plan. The portions 1, 2 and 8 of the blank may now be gripped firmly in the same or an other die and a pair of tool members may now be caused to approach the end portions 6-7 from opposite directions and turn these portions at right angles to the plane of the portions 1-2-4 which will result in twisting the connecting portion 4; between the bends 3 and 5 through an angle of approximately degrees. This twisting, asa matter of fact, does not effectively weaken the chair, since substantially all the strains imposed on the portions 8 are vertical strains.

It is to be understood that the method of forming the article shown illustrates simply the preferred method, and obviously, insofar as the claims to the article itself are concerned, any other suitable method of formation may be employed. Further, the sequence of operations described may be varied somewhat while keeping within the terms' and spirit of the appended method claims.

From theabove description, it will be seen that I have provided a supporting device for concrete reinforcing bars and the like which is very simple in character, very easily formed and which is particularly well suited to serve the intended purpose. It will be seen that the various bends in the stock to form the device are comparatively open; likewise, the loop formations therein do not call for the wire or stock touching on itself or approximately touching atany point, and that the finished article will remain upright to support concrete reinforcing bars or the like under the usual adverse conditions surrounding con-* crete construction.- Further, it will be seen that I have provided a method whichis sim ple, economical and effective and which may be used in forming articles of the general character shown madefrom wire or rod. 1

I claim:

1. A concrete reinforcing bar chair, com-' prising a single piece of elongated metal stock having a vertically disposed rounded arch formation substantially at the mid point thereof, bar supporting depressed portions adjacent the arch, and upwardly extending loops joining the depressed portions, said loops each having a substantially'vertical side and an outwardly inclined side, the outwardly inclined side and therespective said vertical portions lying in planes substantially normal to a Vertical plane passing through the arched formation,'the ends of said stock extending in said normal planes respectively in opposite directions to port for the chair. 7

2. A'method of constructing a supporting member from elongated metal stock, coma suitable section of such stock all in one plane, bending the remote ends of said stock toward each other into substantial alignment, and then twisting the two loops thus formed out of their respective planes and in opposite directions to cause the said ends and the loops to lie in supporting relation to the intermediate portions connecting the loops and transversely thereof.

'3. The method of constructing a supporting member from elongated metal stock,

provide a rest sup- 165" prising imparting two spaced open loops in I formingthe remote ends of; thestock to prok vide groundenga-gingportions integral; with andadj acent the; loops and then twisting the loops and endssubstantially aboutthe axes i respective side portions of; the loops through, angles of approximately 90 degrees.

5. A i supporting; member for concrete reinforcing. rods, comprising a single piece elongated metal bar, each end of said bar Qrbeing bent to form' supporting legs, thelegs comprising a horizontal portion, adapted to lie on-cthe supporting surface and a portion extending upwardly at an acuteangle to the horizontal portion, both of said portions dying within, a vertical plane which is perpendicular to a verticalplane through the bar, the upwardly extending portion of the legs lying on opposite sides of said vertical plane through the bar, the connecting por- --'ti( m1 o,f the banbetween said supporting legs being lower; than the top of said upwardly extending portions, and having an upward bend; centrally of saidilegs, presenting two oppositely downwardly diverging surfaces, 'whereby concrete reinforcing rods placed anywhere; on-the connectingzportion of the bar will seek thelowest level and thereby become correctly placed.

6. A chair for: concrete reinforcing; rods, rcomprisingan elongated metal bar-bent at each endto provide; supporting. legs, each leg comprisi'ngabase; portion and a; portion extending upwardly at anacute angle to said base portion, the aforementioned acute 2jangles beingon; opposite sides of a vertical plane, through-said metal bar, so that when looked at-from either end of the chair the two legs would seem to form an isosceles triangle, the upwardly-extending-portions forming the TtWO equal sides and the two base-[portions overlapping, to form the base, the connecting portion of, thebar between said. legs being bent'to a plane lower than the top of said up-' wardly extendingpportijons, and. havingan Iupwardly invertedj fiat: V-shaped bend cen-' trally'of said'legs, whereby concrete reinforce ing: rodsplaced anywhere between the top part of the; V-shaped-bend and the legs will seek thelowest level and-thereby become correctly placed.

In testimony whereof, I, hereunto afli x my signature. I

THEODORE; SGHMITT. 

